Samoa’s First COVID Community Case Speaks Out

APIA, SAMOA – 21 MARCH 2022: Samoa’s first Covid-19 positive community case has posted a video clip on social media – three days being isolated at the national hospital, Moto’otua.

Naila Sherri Tyner is an American who has been living in Samoa for almost three years and has worked as a missionary attending the Apia International Christian Church.

She was trying to go back home to America last Friday and got a Covid test as mandatory requirement so she can get on the plane and she tested positive.

She said it was definitely a shock when told she was positive as up to that point, there was still no community transmission of the virus in Samoa.

“I knew what it would mean.  How it would blow up. So I got time with the Lord that night and prepare for the backlash I knew would happen,” she said.

Updating her condition since isolation last Thursday evening, Taila said she was still recovering from congestion and tightness of chest, but still no serious symptoms so far.

Backlash against her
Since the announcement of the first community case last Thursday night, Naila’s information that was supposed to be confidential, was already circulating on social media. The paper contained confidential information for Cabinet only and the Cabinet Secretary, Agafili Shem Leo has already expressed his disappointment when told it was already widely circulated on social media.

Since then, a lot of negative feedback has been posted against Naila and her case attracted hateful comments from listeners on a local radio talkback last Saturday.

In her video clip, Naila acknowledged and thanked a lot of people who defended her.

“Obviously, I didn’t bring this virus to this island. I haven’t gone anywhere and I haven’t been anywhere since Covid started,” she said. “But God works in mysterious ways and remind us our Lord above is in control and not to worry.”

She also said that God does these things for us to turn to him. “It’s certainly a wake-up call for the world to take up a relationship with him seriously.”

Disappointment
But she was disappointed with the way her information has been spread “particularly the article in Samoa Global News.”

She said that all her information was written in there.

“Writing in a way (that) I infected these people in the hospital? Literally when I read it, I thought what if they infected me? By going to the hospital they infected me?”

She was disappointed that it is these platforms that “people rely on to get information for serious things such as Covid. I was a little disappointed as I think companies want to get things out quickly without making sure their facts/information are accurate.”

Getting back to her condition, she said “Personally, I’m healing. I’m recovering and just taking it day by day.”

Naila ended by thanking everyone. “Thank you to the frontliners, the doctors and all the nurses working so hard and making sure everyone who is positive is taken care of and really……..staying up all hours of the night, rotating, doing their best to make sure this virus is contained and that the people who are infected are taken care of.”

She encouraged the public to stay safe and encourage everyone to follow what needs to be done to stay safe from Covid.